About CED

Goals and objectives

The Coalition on Elections and Democracy (CED) is a Pakistan-based alliance of registered independent civil society organizations seeking to strengthen electoral democracy and representative governance as a means of social development and progress.

The CED is focused on strengthening democracy in Pakistan through smooth transfer of power to people’s representatives based on free and fair elections that are participatory and pluralistic by building capacities of key stakeholders in the electoral and democratic systems. 

Engagement and outreach

The CED seeks to engage with a broad spectrum of Pakistani voters representing all key political, geographic, ethnic, linguist and gender and other citizen groups engaged in the elections process, to help them make informed decisions on voting.

The CED also seeks to strengthen policymakers and the stakeholders of the electoral and democratic systems in the country in support of greater participatory pluralisms in elections.

Focus areas

The CED is focusing on involvement in the processes associated with the general elections for the national and provincial assemblies. This includes research, advocacy and training on the following areas of interest:

  • Election observation
  • Voter education, registration and mobilization
  • Media capacity building on reporting electoral processes and elections
  • Polling / election agents’ capacity building
  • Political parties’ engagement
  • Election reforms – education, awareness, capacity building and mobilization
  • Monitoring election coverage
  • Election campaign monitoring
  • Political party manifestos
  • Civil society strengthening on election issues
  • Freedom of expression and right to information
  • Governance performance
  • Census and elections
  • Election symbols
  • Election-related violence
  • Provincial elections
  • Election officers (POs, ROs, PECs, ECs, ECP)
  • Legislative accountability

Coalition partners

Based in Islamabad, the CED groups together social development organizations including Center for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA), Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI),  Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA), Individualland (IL), Peace and Justice Network (PJN) and Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) . The CED is led by and headquartered at the CPDI office in Islamabad.

Program partners

The CED is broadening its engagement and program partnerships with the following range of stakeholders in the electoral process:

  • Citizens and voters
  • Federal and provincial governments
  • Election Commission of Pakistan and provincial election commission offices
  • Political parties
  • Parliament – Senate and National Assembly
  • Provincial assemblies
  • Vulnerable and marginalized groups
  • Civil society organizations
  • Women, youth and minorities’ associations
  • Academia – universities and colleges
  • Media and journalists
  • Opinion makers and analysts
  • Think tanks
  • International observer groups
  • International election support community
  • International and national elections program donors and supporters    

Electoral networks, consortiums and alliances